Audi vs. Mercedes: Battle of the Brands

Which European Luxury Marque Is the Best?

The battle of German luxury brands Mercedes-Benz and Audi dates back to the origins of the automobile. Carl Benz patented the first motorcar in 1886. By Mercedes standards, Audi is a young upstart, with its roots only dating to 1899. Audi is now part of the Volkswagen Group.

Both luxury automakers now build and sell a full line of vehicles, ranging from luxury subcompact cars to super luxury flagship sedans and SUVs in every size class. Mercedes manufactures many of their SUVs and the C-Class sedan in the U.S., while all of Audi’s vehicles are built overseas.

Which German automaker is better? We’ll answer that question on the following pages using information from our rankings, reviews, and scoring data. Note that we constantly update our vehicle scores as new information becomes available, so the scores you see on these pages may not precisely match the information on our individual review pages.

Performance

Winner: Audi (Avg 8.8 vs 8.3)

Mercedes and Audi both have powerhouse models on their rosters, but on the average, Audi vehicles have higher performance scores across their entire lineups. Their performance leader is the $164,900 2018 Audi R8 (pictured above), a 532-horsepower two-seat supercar that comes standard with the brand’s venerable Quattro all-wheel drive.

Drivers of either brand can expect confident power, precise steering, and handling that keeps them firmly in control. Most models are available with Audi’s Quattro or Mercedes’ 4Matic all-wheel drive systems.

If you’re looking for enhanced performance, Audi offers versions of several of their cars with powerful engines and upgraded suspensions. The Audi TT RS, S4, RS 3, and RS 5 take the confident performance of mainstream Audi vehicles and ratchet the excitement up a notch. They also offer drivers a quicker version of their compact SUV, the 354-horsepower Audi SQ5.

Mercedes takes their performance to the next level through their AMG tuning arm. Many of their cars and SUVs are available with the AMG treatment, while the 2018 Mercedes-AMG GT is only available in AMG trim. Some of the wilder vehicles available in the AMG stable include a 603-horsepower E-Class wagon, a 621-horsepower V12 variant of the G-Class SUV, and a convertible version of the 2018 S-Class with starting price north of a quarter million dollars.

Interior

Winner: Audi (Avg 8.5 vs 8.2)

While no model from either brand can touch the stellar 9.3 score that the 2018 Mercedes-Benz S-Class earns, on average, Audi vehicles score slightly higher than their Mercedes rivals. Audi’s top-scoring cars are the 2018 A4 (pictured above) and A5. Its lowest is the aging 2018 Audi Q3, with a score of 7.4.

Mercedes has several cars that do well, but their overall score is held down by a couple of their lowest-priced models – the CLA and GLA – and one of their highest-priced: the 2018 G-Class.

Audi’s interiors are technology showcases, with virtual cockpit displays available to replace traditional instrument panels in several of their models. Both brands use exquisite materials and have excellent build quality. Top Mercedes models include massaging seats and cabin fragrance systems.

The least expensive Audi is the A3 (pictured above), with a starting price of $31,950. It will cost you $32,700 to get into Mercedes’ CLA. The Audi R8 has the highest base price at $164,900, but several Mercedes models have trims and customization options that can easily eclipse that number.

Of course, buyers should compare vehicle on a feature-by-feature basis to ensure that they’re getting all of the equipment they want at the best price they can get it for.

Reliability

Winner: Mercedes-Benz (Avg 3.3 vs 3.0)

Predicted reliability forecasts the need for expensive repairs and vehicle downtime when something breaks. Luxury cars tend to be at the leading edge of technology and performance, so when bad stuff happens, it can quickly get expensive. Reliability should be a critical factor in any buying decision.

Mercedes-Benz vehicles, on average, have a higher predicted reliability rating than Audis. Most of the Mercedes lineup has scores of 3.5 or above, which is above-average for all vehicles on the market and is a good predictor of costs down the road. Earning a score of 4 out of 5 is the 2018 Mercedes GLS SUV (pictured above).

The scores for Audi are more varied, with the Audi A5 and A7 earning scores that are well above average (4), while the A6, Q7, and R8 are below average at 2.5 out of 5.

Safety

Winner: Tie (Avg 9.7 vs 9.7)

Luxury cars tend to get the latest and greatest safety and driver assistance features, before they spread to more mainstream vehicles. Both Audi and Mercedes have an excellent fleet average safety scores of 9.7 out of 10.

While the Audi A3 and A4 (pictured top) receive Top Safety Pick awards from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), only Mercedes earned the even-better Top Safety Pick+ (TSP+) awards. The Mercedes-Benz GLC (pictured bottom), E-Class, and GLE all received TSP+ awards.

Mercedes’ entries in the segment are the C-Class sedan, coupe, and cabriolet and the CLA. While the C-Class holds a spot in the middle of the pack in the competitive segment, the CLA is rated near the bottom.

Mercedes will soon have another entrant in the class when the new A-Class arrives for 2019.

Both cars hold positions near the top of our ranking of luxury midsize cars. The A6 is available as a four-door sedan. You can buy the E-Class in sedan, coupe, cabriolet, and wagon body styles. High-performance versions of both cars are available.

Before the luxury market discovered the SUV, midsize sedans were luxury automakers’ bread and butter. Both of these models hit the marks that buyers look for in the segment: safety, high-tech features, powerful engines, and a refined ride.

Luxury Large Cars

Winner: Audi (9.0 vs 8.3)

The entries from Mercedes and Audi in luxury large car segment are four-door sedans with coupe-like rooflines. The 2018 Mercedes-Benz CLS includes a traditional trunk, while the 2018 Audi A7 features a large hatchback that makes carrying large cargo a breeze.

The Audi has a significantly lower starting price and bests the CLS when it comes to interior quality, features, and space. Its overall score puts it near the top of our ranking of luxury large cars. The CLS holds a spot near the middle of the ranking list.

Both models come with base engines that are plenty powerful. The A7’s turbocharged V6 kicks out 340 horsepower. The CLS comes with a 402-horsepower V8. At the top end of the model range, there’s a 507-horsepower CLS and the 605-horsepower Audi RS7.

Luxury Subcompact SUVs

Winner: Mercedes-Benz (7.8 vs 7.6)

Let’s face it, neither of the two brand’s aging subcompact SUVs are big winners in the luxury subcompact SUV space, which features outstanding competitors in the 2018 BMW X1 and 2019 Volvo XC40. However, between the 2018 Audi Q3 and the 2018 Mercedes GLA, the GLA comes out on top.

The GLA has peppier performance than the Q3, and many features that are optional on the Audi are included as standard equipment on the Mercedes. The GLA is also more efficient than the Q3 and has a higher predicted reliability score.

Luxury Compact SUVs

Winner: Audi (8.9 vs 8.8)

The comparison in the luxury compact SUV category is very close between the 2018 Mercedes GLC and the 2018 Audi Q5. The Q5’s more athletic performance and list of standard features – which includes leather upholstery – push it past the GLC in our ranking of luxury compact SUVs. Both models hold positions near the top of that ranking.

The GLC does have a few attributes that are better than the Q5. It has a lower starting price, slightly higher predicted reliability, and the availability of an efficient plug-in hybrid powertrain.

Luxury Midsize SUVs

Winner: Audi (8.7 vs 8.3)

Both the 2018 Audi Q7 and the 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE have a lot going for them. The GLE is a posh SUV with powerful engine choices and an available feature list that is as deep as your wallet allows. The Q7 is a technological powerhouse with groundbreaking advanced safety technology.

The Q7 takes the win, however, with a higher rating for performance, its feature-packed and comfortable interior, and its lower starting price. In our ranking of luxury midsize SUVs, the Q7 holds a position near the top of the list, while the GLE earns a midpack spot.

Luxury Large SUVs

Winner: Mercedes-Benz (by default)

Mercedes-Benz takes this category by default with the 2018 Mercedes GLS SUV. It’s one of the top-rated vehicles in our ranking of luxury large SUVs. Like many of its siblings, it has a powerful array of available engines, a top-notch interior, and the comfortable ride you expect from Mercedes. Its predicted reliability is well above-average, with a score of four out of five.

The GLS will soon have competition from Audi. Set to arrive soon is the 2019 Audi Q8, which will serve as the brand’s flagship SUV and technology showcase. Multiple touch screens will take the place of physical switches, and semiautonomous operation that manages steering, acceleration, and braking will be possible.

Luxury Sports Cars

Winner: Audi (avg 8.7 vs 8.6)

Mercedes-Benz has three entries in this segment to Audi’s one. They offer the compact Mercedes SLC hardtop roadster, the venerable Mercedes SL, and the racy Mercedes-AMG GT. The SL and GT perform admirably in our rankings, but the SLC drags down their average.

Audi offers the R8, and its score places it above the Mercedes average in this category. With a price tag starting at $164,900, the 2018 Audi R8 reaches into supercar territory. Its base V10 engine produces 532 horsepower, but you can upgrade it to a V10 tuned to 610 horsepower.

Hybrid and Electric Cars

Mercedes-Benz offers three vehicles in the U.S. with hybrid powertrains, with plans to offer more. You can purchase plug-in hybrid models of the Mercedes C-Class sedan, GLC compact SUV, and GLE midsize SUV that offer greatly enhanced fuel economy. Their Smart subsidiary markets the all-electric EQ coupe.

From Audi comes the 2018 Audi A3 Sportback e-tron, a plug-in hybrid that can travel 16 miles on electricity alone before switching on its gasoline engine and operating as a traditional hybrid. Buyers can expect more models coming soon that wear the e-tron badge.

Super Luxury Cars

Winner: Mercedes-Benz (9.0 vs 8.6)

Both German carmakers offer super luxury sedans that act as their flagships. From Audi comes the 2018 Audi A8, a full-size sedan with loads of back-seat legroom, a fuel-efficient base engine with ample power, and the refined ride you would expect from a car with an $82,500 base price.

The 2018 Mercedes S-Class is the latest iteration of one of the more legendary luxury cars ever produced. Its sumptuous interior earns the highest score of any of the two brands' models. If you feel like you're floating on a cushion of air, it's because you are. The S-Class features an air suspension and a camera system that scans the road ahead to adjust the suspension for any imperfection it sees.

In the end, the Mercedes wins this category with a higher overall score. It holds the top spot in our ranking of super luxury cars, while the Audi claims a midpack spot. The A8 is on the last year of its current body style. A redesigned 2019 Audi A8 model is coming to America soon.

Convertibles

Winner: Mercedes-Benz (avg 8.6 vs 8.4)

Buyers who are looking for an open-air ride in a premium car have plenty to choose from with both Mercedes and Audi. Mercedes offers six models that are available as convertibles, and Audi offers three.

Certified Pre-Owned Program

Winner: Tie

Buying a certified pre-owned (CPO) car is a great way to get a gently used car for thousands less than what it would have sold for new. CPO cars are covered by factory warranties and frequently offer additional benefits, such as a roadside assistance package.

Both programs offer one year of warranty coverage, with unlimited miles after the original factory coverage expires. If the vehicle’s factory warranty has already expired, you’ll get one year of coverage from the date you purchase the vehicle. Neither program requires any deductible be paid if service is necessary.

If you’re stranded by a mechanical breakdown, both CPO programs provide roadside assistance and trip interruption reimbursement. The Mercedes program offers the opportunity to exchange the car for up to seven days or up to 500 miles after purchase. The Audi program limits the age of vehicles accepted into their program to five-years-old, while Mercedes certifies cars up to six-years-old.

The Winner Is …

Audi

Based on the research and rankings from the U.S. News Best Cars team, Audi takes the honors over Mercedes-Benz in this epic battle of the German luxury car brands. Not only do Audis have better average overall scores, but they win more categories on the preceding pages.

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